


Dear Rabbit

by ayam692001



Category: Joker Game (Anime)
Genre: AU, Creepy, Creepy Fluff, Dark, Gen, Heavy - Freeform, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, M/M, Many of the others get mentioned, POV First Person, Sad, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2018-09-07
Packaged: 2019-07-08 07:57:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15926186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ayam692001/pseuds/ayam692001
Summary: Modern/Fantasy/Supernatural AU, in which Hatano has been way unhappy for a loooong time.Might be depressing and a bit creepy at the beginning but it gets better!





	1. Hatano/Shimano's story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be one shot/single chapter and that's it, but my usual beta complained there was no contextualisation for Hatano's situation and how that fact was way distracting... and I admit she was right so I dropped the lazy act and this intro/first chapter was born.

They say my mother was a devil worshipper, a stray sheep. Truth is, she was impressionable and had too much free time, as well as too little surveillance. As a young teen she'd go out every night to stage silly rituals with her friends. They'd gather in the graveyard and chant senseless words, cutting open their flesh to cover several graves in blood and call out demonic creatures... one day she messed up with the wrong grave, or so the priest said, and begun suffering from night terrors, losing her mind and isolating herself at all times... she quit sneaking out then... still no one found it surprising when her belly started growing, even though she was just 13. After all, for well over one year all her social life was built on alcohol, drugs and the worst sort of men one can choose to frequent. They chose to ignore the bruises and wounds that frequently appeared on her body, it was unsurprising given her historic.

As time went by her belly grew to grotesque proportions, her nightmares only got worst. People knew something was wrong when at three months her womb showed signs of full term. When the due day arrived her mind, already frail as a twig, snapped completely and they removed me from her in the presence of as many priests and deacons the village could gather on a short notice, even a couple of local witches were bribed into helping hide me form my sire's eyes... they were sure I was the spawn of the devil or something.

Somehow I suppose I have to agree with the priest... there's clearly something wrong with me.

For over seven years I was raised in the local orphanage, my mother's family didn't want anything to do with me, and while the priest wanted nothing but to deliver mercy upon my soul... by killing me... the social services did not agree. One day she died and I was finally put up for adoption. First I was taken in by a family from Moscow who promptly returned me a couple of days later with some excuse about them not being mentally prepared for the challenge. Not long after, an eccentric German couple was visiting the area and was immediately charmed by me... odd, right? They filled all the paperwork, paid an insane amount to get me out of the country and into theirs. By the time the entire process was resolved they looked exhausted, like something was sucking the life out of them... still, I was my happiest, I was finally getting out of that dark place and start a life with a real family. A full month after we settled in their Germany home the woman fell terribly sick and the man felt he wasn't up to the task of taking care of the both of us... so he put me up for adoption... and as I got admitted back in the system, even if in a different country, I begun to believe things would never change... some children just weren't made to be adopted.

Years went by, I was pushed and pulled all over the world, never staying anywhere for long. Slowly I came to understand that maybe I was that one child all couples looking to adopt fear ending up with.

When I arrived in France I met Alain. A very nice, completely dedicated social worker, who had no personal life... he took me in, like, in his apartment... for over four months! He gave me stuff like a cellphone and trendy clothes, and we had long talks at night about the cruel and beautiful sides of the world. He told me all about his motivations and heard my rants on my shitty experience with people in general. When his superiors insisted in having me sent over to an institution near the Alps he demanded to go with me... it was fun then, just the two of us...

I knew I had to let him go eventually... everyday he looked paler and thinner, while I grew steadily stronger...

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted this to be a bit of an apology for what I did to Alain in Double Agent 2 JG Fanzine... I don't think that's going according to plan though, poor man XP


	2. Jitsui's confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And here comes what was supposed to be the only chapter.

Alleging boredom made me do it, is probably the safest way of handling any possible future consequences... at the time holing up in the library and read all day sounded like a safe, if not banal plan. Out of nowhere Fukumoto and Odagiri invaded my peaceful evening, begging me to help them patrol. It has become a habit of theirs, regularly checking the surrounding area of wherever we're staying. Yuuki doesn't speak much of it, generally he dislikes us interacting directly with humans, but everything else is fair game... Miyoshi on the other hand, hates it with a passion and we are all well aware of it... and he gets dangerous and generally annoying when antagonized, so we try to avoid that. However the previous few weeks had been so unexciting I was willing to risk a tête-à-tête with him, pestering our second in command until he raises his voice is our version of a extreme sport, and while I usually don't indulge, it sounded like an interesting idea then... that was months ago... since then I have learned to give up my nights entirely.

His name is Shimano Ryousuke.

The Alps saw him arrive in the middle of the night, right at the opening of the warm season. It's been approximately twenty five weeks and three days since he first showed in town, twenty three since he was left on his own... well, relatively on his own. His guardian, despite all his good faith and hopeful heart, succumbed to madness somewhere along the way and was forced into treatment, as far away as his superiors in the child-protection services managed to send him. They all pretended to forget the tinny boy who did his best to be overlooked.

People in town don't like him, in fact they fear him to an irrational level... People in town believe he his cursed... that he brings on disgrace... they aren't wrong, what they won't see though, is to what extent he is not to blame. People in town chase him away and physically hurt him at every given chance.

He only goes to school occasionally, and sometimes he sleeps behind the graveyard, during the hot hours of the day, never at night, he doesn't sleep at night because if he does no one else will...

He's barely fed. Steals fruit from the neighbours' trees, vegetables from the cultivated fields, eggs from the chicken... meat is harder to come across, at the age of 15 he's no hunter, but he makes do.

His surface thoughts are simple. “I'm hungry.”; “It's cold.”; “It hurts.”... he needs help...

Everyday he arrives in the glade at ten in the evening, torn clothes stained with blood and dirt, skinny frame, lazy gaze... he strolls around for a few minutes, as if securing the grounds. Eventually he's satisfied with his search and rolls up the sleeves of his shirt, in the recent weeks he has been wearing a hoodie, preparing for whatever task he set for himself.

Sometimes he dances to some random rhythmic sound he has his mobile device play. While he's certainly no Bolshoi dancer, there's an allure to the unrefined elegance of his movements. Other days he practices a sort of martial art, fighting trees with the fierce passion of one fighting to save his own life... today is one of those days.

Soon the moon will be full... it's light is already enough to illuminate the surrounding trees, the naked floor, the perfect lines on his body... in over one hundred and fifty years I've never wanted to see the sun as much as I do now, kissing his soft skin.

His breathing is heavy now and there's sweat running down his face and neck. He huffs in frustration and pulls off his hoodie in one go, exposing his innocent flesh to the harsh wind of early winter. These days it gets so cold one would expect it to snow anytime soon... it doesn't seem to bother him...

I sigh gently and relax my shoulder against the tree I'm watching him from, the branch beneath me barely swings.

A soft, almost relaxing sound of approaching mist alerts me to the arrival of Tazaki and soon he's standing on the branch right behind me... not many of us still use that, it's an outdated technique... fair enough, it's somewhat quiet, but visually it's much too showy... to this day only Yuuki has managed to perform it without disturbing the humans around.

Having company of my own is the one thing I did not want right now, being caught in this situation is a little degrading... alas, my opinion clearly matters little.

“We were wondering where you've been running to these last few weeks. It feels like night can never come too soon for you.” He's smile's triumphant, as if somehow he managed to corner me... he's too young to be making any sort of assumptions... naive.

“Why are you here?” He knows where I'm getting at with this question. In truth it was to be expected that someone would come for me at some point... Kaminaga or even our sub-leader himself would be my first guesses though, sending our youngest and alone at that, sounds a bit reckless.

“Miyoshi is busy getting Fukumoto and Odagiri back home, he found them up the mountain aiding a group of lost hikers. Kaminaga is still in Paris with Amari, they probably won't make it back today...” Tazaki looks pretty proud of himself, being able to track me down on his own must be an empowering sensation.

“How did you find me?” I'm only half curious at best, perhaps not at all in fact. Most of my conscious mind is pushing my gaze back towards Shimano's figure... the muscle behind his left ear has twitched a couple of times now, as if he's trying to pick a distant sound... humans have lost that ability long ago, but some stubbornly haven't lost the reflex... a wild part of my brain wonders if he can actually hear us... and what an enticing possibility... or maybe it's a nervous reflex... is he secretly trying to hide his fear? Does being watched excite him?

“Jitsui...” The quiet shock in Tazaki's voice brings me back. Whatever he spoke fell in the void, my mind got so far lost in thought over the human boy I could not manage to hear a thing. Realization makes me snap my head in Tazaki's direction. His gaze is hard to read but deep inside his eyes there's a pale shadow of judgement... and concern?

'It's not what it looks like.' Is the simplified version of what I stop myself from saying... the most incriminating declaration one can deliver... might as well pledge guilty right away... but what of? Intense interest in a human I do not intend to prey on? That is all there is to it after all. Human pets are absolutely not an odd occurrence in our... clan? This is at worst a vexing situation, but certainly not a problem. I turn back to watch the object of my adoration.

“Don't breath a word of this...” My voice lowers as I deliver the non-compromising threat. That much, my brother is used to. It's familiar ground for us both.

“I'd rather swallow a whole cactus than being the one in charge of telling Yuuki you fell for a human. I only came to warn you that the sun's coming up, and you're screwed.” His whispered words scrape my ear like sandpaper. The smile on his face looks so sweet I have to actually fight the compulsion to punch it in. I'm loosing the my nerve and I know it... what right does he have to invade my personal time, I certainly do not walk in on him and his pigeons... for my own sanity, true, still I respect his space. Nevertheless he is right, the sun is closer than I had anticipated... how long did I space out for this time?

“Je. T'ais. Vu...” (“I. Found. You...”#) Carried by the wind, the sound of Shimano's voice reached us. The almost sang words dragged slowly, making it sound like the creepy version of a lullaby. Around us all the noises of nature slow down. Why did he suddenly feel like singing? And such an eerie tune at that... Tazaki looks like he's seen a ghost.

“Hé, joli minois, je te parle!” (“Hey, pretty face, I'm talking to you!”) The lazy, irritated tone that I've hear so often in his mind fills the glade, and both Tazaki and I find ourselves staring right into my boy's inviting eyes. His stance is relaxed, he's facing us casually, as if witnessing two men standing on a couple of skinny branches is a perfectly natural occurrence. As he folds his arms across his chest, his eyes take on a more ferocious expression. “Ça me gêne vraiment pas que tu me harcèles depuis plus de cinq mois... mais si tu te met à amener tes potes, au moins previens-moi... comment ça va, messieur le charmant?” (“It doesn't really bother me that you've been harassing me for over five months... but if you start bringing your buddies, at least warn me... how's it going, mister charmer?”) Contrary to his words, there's no humour in his voice.

I can vaguely register Tazaki disappearing the same instant... my attention is locked on the human though... how did he manage? He shouldn't have been able to... our presence should be naturally disguised from his race unless we will it otherwise. The boy in turn just shrugs, wipes a stray blood drop off the corner of his mouth, and turns back to the tree he's been abusing all night.

“How did you do that? How did you know we were there?” Are the few words I manage to gather as my body glides on the wind until we're standing face to face.

“You're not invisible, you know? To be honest what's hard is to pretend no to notice, you've been coming over to stand on the same damn branch for almost half an year.” It's hard to understand if the shift in language is out of courtesy or to show off his skills. His voice sounds unimpressed, yet defiant. The proximity of our bodies doesn't seem to bother him at that, if anything quite the opposite, his eyes are getting progressively darker...

“My name is Jitsui, it's nice to make your acquaintance.” A short bow feels like the polite thing to do right now.

“Mine's Shimano... it's a pleasure, I guess.” His posture doesn't reveal much, if any pleasure... also his lack of proper introduction manners is appalling... he's acting so defensive.

“Excuse me for being direct, but If you knew I was there all along, why did you not say anything until now?” The answer is obvious and I hear it in his mind before he puts it in words.

“I was afraid you'd leave for good...” Because everyone else eventually does, is what he doesn't add but we both understand.

A long moment of silence follows... should I leave for the night? Perhaps strike up conversation? He already knows I'm here so I already am in trouble. It is most certainly odd to be observed by a silent someone, talking is only the correct thing to do since I've been found.

“Impressive instincts, for a human...” Maybe I'll be able to lighten the mood. I've wanted to talk with him before... so much... but to dare and do it myself? He looks like he usually doesn't get to do much talking, yet he's talking to me now... with me... acknowledging my presence and responding as an equal.

He closes the distance between us by a few centimetres and the hairs on the back of his neck stand.

“...for a human? Wow, that's cheesy... so what are you?” His eyes stare into mine, fearless... and mouthwatering delicious. For a second it feels like he's studying my features, reading and smelling me, evaluating the level of danger I represent.

What am I, indeed...

“That is, I'm afraid, a question to which I have no satisfactory answer.” I want to give him all he asks for... answers at the very least... but truth is, of all the times we asked, Yuuki insists we are not a specific race or species, not one with name... so while personally I know what I am, I have not been taught the name humans use to describe us, assuming there is even one. Still, I have done my readings... “I suppose if I were to point a species of sorts that has been remotely catalogued by your kind, I would say we are a class of demons... or several classes.” Either he doesn't believe it or he doesn't care, all he does is tilting his head to the side but his expression doesn't change much.

“So you... eat souls and stuff?” He's putting his hoodie back on and sitting down now... on the cold stone floor... is that not uncomfortable?

“... yes, technically we can eat souls, tough it is, how would you put it... overkill? In a fashion, the equivalent to eating a wedding feast on your own. A regular human soul should be more than sufficient to sustain the eight of us for perhaps a week, maybe more.” Considering my options I end up deciding to sit in front of him... over the dirt... Kaminaga would never let me hear the end of it, if he ever knew.

“The hell, there's eight of you guys?” For a moment he stays quiet and picks up a couple of plants from the ground, alpine clovers I believe. “So what do you eat?” Casually he nibs at the roots of the plants... are those edible for humans? All this food talk must have gotten him more hungry than usual, he doesn't usually feed on the local greenery.

“Well, on an everyday basis...” The scent of the roots is very distracting... aggressive but sweet... almost like licorice... it goes very well with his natural fragrance. “... emotions... the base of our feeding is generally strong emotions and feelings...In a broader analysis, our bodies are able to digest any human direct part or by-product, but that's a matter of preference.”

“Emotions uh? Crazy stuff... ” His eyes focus on mine and I feel the need to clear my throat,,, there's something intense and eerily disturbing about his lack of self-preservation.

“Usually the process takes a few days to weeks, all the way up to years if there's enough to draw out. We find a candidate, enter their life, influence and leach on their emotional state and when they're empty... they get rid of themselves.” Telling him this is probably a bad idea, considering how people around him tend to loose their sanity... but his sadness is so enticing.

“Oh... suicide.” His gaze drops to the ground.

We both stay quiet this time and I allow him time to gather his thoughts.

The wind shifts direction and the tempting scent of the boy's misery fills my entire body... my stomach contorts in agony and he must have noticed because the muscles on his back tense reflexively. I curl up slightly, maybe if I make myself smaller he won't be afraid. He probably wonders if I've been feeding on him... I could easily check but it is better for us both that I give his mind some privacy for the time being.

“So, do we taste good?” His voice sounds almost bright, as if he's trying to change the mood for my sake. I can't help but smile slightly.

“Depends on the eater and the body part. Blood is a popular favourite, but there are other less obvious choices. That person that was here earlier, for example, what he likes the most are hearts and livers. He's still young so it's really not surprisi...”

“Does he have a twin or something?” * Shimano promptly interrupts, staring straight into my eyes again.

“... no, I don't think so... Why?” It is becoming extremely hard to follow this child's reasoning.

“...why... what's yours?” He's back picking herbs off the ground, appearing as if he's only half interested. The urge to lean in and forcing his head up is almost impossible to contain.

“Eyeballs.” Lying feels wrong and there is no pretty way of putting it. Still I almost recoil when his eyes dart up to meet mine. Somehow he doesn't look too shocked.

“Creep.” Is all he has to declare, but his look keeps locked in mine. And if that is the worst he can think of me after this revelation, I couldn't be happier!

The giggle that echoes from my throat is loud and high-pitched and next I know Shimano is sitting over two meters away from me, hands covering his ears the best he can manage.

“Fuck man, warn me before you do shit like this!” His heart is ramming in his chest, his skin is pale and glossed with sweat... he is terrified... and yet he stands up, pats the dust off his jeans, walks up to me and stretches his hand to help me up. As a human I went through a situation similar to this one... back then it took me well over a couple of hours to recover, a genuine laugh of ours can be quite the traumatizing event.

I have never cried while aware... not as a human, certainly not as this... yet now, as I take his hand and stand in front of him, there are warm tears prickling my eyes, a couple even roll down my cheeks. I can't remember the last time I've felt this relieved.

Quickly brushing the tears away, I attempt to offer him a convincing smile.

“I'm sorry, that happens, I should have warned you.” His hand feels warm against my cheek as he wipes away the tears I missed. The sensation is so foreign I can't react at all. Somehow his other hand finds it's way in my right one, as if he's trying to comfort me.

Looking over his shoulder I can see the night sky getting lighter. Panic starts to subtly knock at the back of my mind... but the prospect of leaving has me thinking twice... Yuuki has left very clear instructions since day one, we'll die if the direct light of the sun hits our skin, no exceptions... but maybe it's not so immediate?

“The sun is rising, don't you have to go home?” The loneliness I've felt in his heart before seeps through his sheltered eyes and he squeezes my hand before letting go, taking a step back. “I mean, you're always gone by now...” He has never looked this frail. 'Don't leave.' His mind begs to a point where not even making a conscious effort I can avoid hearing it.

“I don't want to.” I'm not lying. Despite the danger of the situation, there's a strange feeling of calmness inside me, deliberately overriding the panic.

We both fall quiet once more. He's staring so intently at me.

“Bring me home with you?” He's speaking and thinking at the same time again... and sounds so hopeful... it's unthinkable though. I'd get yelled at by Miyoshi... which in itself isn't necessarily a problem... except he'd take it to Yuuki! But it is getting late... and this boy is so young and lonely and abandoned... and he knows of us, I have to make sure he doesn't talk...

He shifts his weight from one foot to the other a couple of times, withdrawing slightly. He is feeling awkward about having placed himself in such a vulnerable position... he's almost embarrassed. My entire system twists in starving agony. I must return fast and blackmail someone into feeding me... probably Fukumoto again, this is all his fault anyway.

“All right.” I must be out of my mind. “But you cannot be awake until we get there, our mentor is a bit of a paranoid...”

The smile that brightens his features is one of disbelief and he looks like he's standing two full centimetres taller.

“What do I do?” It is endearing how excited he looks, like for once everything will be alright. If being allowed to spent time over at a house with a bunch of demon-like creatures is the best that could happen to him right now I can only pity him.

“Stay still and look me in the eyes.” I whisper and as he obeys I touch my index finger to the centre of his forehead. Slowly I slide the digit over his short eyebrow, then around his droopy eye until it reaches the highest point on his left cheekbone, which I tap twice. With this I manage to distract the more superficial part of his mind, making it easier to hypnotize the subconscious. That same moment his knees predictably fail, so I hold him up in my arms before his limp body hits the ground. Making sure to lean the child's head against my shoulder for proper support I relax my posture and glide towards home.

For sure I have gone insane... What am I even going to do with a stray I won't eat? Takes three full minutes to reach the château from here, it will have to be enough time to build a proper defence.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> # Literally it translates to “I saw you.” but it's also the sentence used in child games like hide and seek, to state that someone has been found so I'm going with that sense.  
> * Loose reference to a French horror story that involves twins and missing organs. Now I'm not big on horror, but this is a story my cousin used to tell my sister and I when we where little, recently my sister reminded my of it and I've been wanting to pay homage to that phase of my life anyway so... here it is!
> 
> The title is a direct reference to Young Herectics' song Dear Rabbit, the original idea for this fic swam a bit between that concept and the 2008 movie Let the right one in... and somewhere along the way brightened up, hopefully.
> 
> Know when you're out of drive to write? Then you ask someone a couple of words to get you going? Under my request, Unnagi was kind enough to grant me 'cactus' and 'chase' to work with (which bundled into the most hilarious draft title for a while). This is waaaay out of my waters btw, lets hope I didn't completely mess up.


End file.
